Straub Sexual Assault Case Scheduled For January Trial

PUTNAM — A Superior Court judge Friday set a January trial date for Richard Straub, the former probation officer charged with 156 counts of sexually assaulting former clients.

But before Straub goes to trial, his attorney, Arthur Meisler, will try to have the case dismissed at a court hearing this summer.

Straub, 62, appeared briefly Friday before Judge Samuel Sferrazza, who ruled on several motions that had been pending in the 18-month-old case.

Sferrazza set a trial date for Jan. 12, 1999, for Straub, who is free on $1 million bond that was posted in December 1996, a month after his initial arrest.

Sferrazza also granted a motion by Windham County State's Attorney Mark Solak to keep the identities of the alleged victims secret until Sept. 8, when the names will be turned over to the defense to prepare for trial.

The judge also ordered Solak to complete his information on the charges by the end of May so Meisler can prepare a motion to dismiss the case.

Meisler would not comment on the grounds he plans to use to request a dismissal. Sferrazza scheduled a hearing for July 1 on that motion.

Straub initially was arrested in November 1996, accused of sexually assaulting or trying to sexually assault his clients.

State police never closed the original investigation and have received numerous complaints since 1996 from others claiming to have been sexually assualted by Straub.

Straub was re-arrested in January this year on complaints dating as far back as 1984, according to court documents.

Most of the charges follow the same pattern. Straub allegedly used his position as probation officer to coerce or entice males into sexual relationships, threatening to have their probation revoked if they didn't go along, according to court documents.

The latest arrest warrants detail allegations that Straub took some of his clients back to his Dayville home to drink, shoot pool, watch X- rated movies and have sex.

In other cases, the sexual encounters occured in his office with the door locked, according to arrest warrants. In one case, Straub had sex with a client in his office while the man's mother waited outside, according to an arrest affidavit.